Not so long back, entrepreneurs doubted if they needed a mobile-responsive site. When desktop-based online stores were already performing quite well, wouldn’t spending on mobile optimization be a redundant investment? Gradually, stats coming from reported sources blew their minds, and consequently, their perceptions changed. Mobile-responsiveness became a necessity than a choice. In 2017, eCommerce stores […]

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In this figure drawing tutorial we will focus on the torso and breasts, particularly on how the breasts change shape due to compression and the effects of gravity. On first impression these simple forms look easy to draw, and for that reason they’re often drawn poorly.

A common mistake is to treat them as solid globes, instead of shape-shifting mounds that move, fall, bounce and flatten out. Another common error is drawing them as if both are facing front like a pair of eyes, when in fact each breast sits on the curve of the ribcage. I’ve chosen this pose to demonstrate the changing shape of the breasts due to their shifting weight against a solid rib cage, and the pull of gravity, evident even on a young, physically fit woman.

How to draw: the best drawing tutorials

Above, you can watch the accompanying in-depth video tutorial of how to show compression and gravity when drawing a female figure, or, read on to find a step-by-step guide to how to draw the breasts and torso of a female figure.

For more general advice on figure drawing, check out our guide to how to draw a figure.

The effects of shifting forms

Learning proportions is important for the figurative artist but stay flexible

In the photo above, I’m measuring Alana for an online classroom. I measure the forms by eye, compare their shapes – their boxy or tubular nature – then draw the biggest shapes first and measure on the pinch side of the figure where shapes are closer together. Learning proportions is important for the figurative artist, but I don’t see it as an inflexible rule.

Apart from drawing the illusion of soft flesh against a hard surface, we’ll also deal with relationships of form. Although the ribcage expands when we breathe, the hips and ribcage are basically solid, with all the twisting done by the abdominals and obliques (the waist side muscles). These hard shapes against soft shapes cause pinching flesh, most noticeably at the waist.

01. Learn to really see

Create a basic structure of the body to help focus your work

When it comes to drawing the figure, I think of how the basic structures work together. Making structural drawings such as this one helps me understand how everything locks together. Learning to see structure as a form of simplified anatomy is the key to drawing with confidence.

02. Direct with the power of Austin

If you’re directing a photoshoot, think about how you do so

In this photoshoot I direct Alana using emotional themes. I call out, “Cruelty, spite, anger, joy, elation!” while Alana moves from one pose to another. As fun and Austin Powers-like as this may sound, it works. With this sorcery pose, Alana becomes a raging symbol of creation. I’ve often found that enthusiastic and confident art direction results in an energetic, productive photo session.

03. Act suspicious

You don’t have to copy your photo exactly

I draw lightly using a small piece of willow charcoal. As usual, I treat the photo with deep suspicion. The arms look too long and the head feels too small. I want the body to be flying rather than lying over a support, so I lengthen the foreshortened midsection.

04. Chase the echoes

With our motivational theme of ‘creation’ in place I think about what kind of supernatural being Alana is as I draw, and decide she is a witch conjuring spells. I name the drawing, The Wake of the Black Witch. With a title and motivation the drawing gains a driving force.

I smudge tones around using the charcoal that I’ve already laid down on the newsprint paper. It’s important in the early stages to keep the drawing light, because this method allows for changes. I’m chasing the echoes of similar forms as I go, blending nature’s rhythmic shapes down the body.

05. Create a sense of movement

Add in darker lines once you’re happy with the lighter drawing

I step back from the drawing and take time to evaluate before committing to darker lines. I feel the overall drawing has solidity, and more importantly, a sense of movement. I lay in darker lines, placing a sheet of paper under my hand to keep the surface clean.

06. Consider the effect of gravity

Draw the breasts after you draw the ribcage

Add gravity to the situation and the breasts change shape. See how each breast is slightly different – because they always are. Note also how the nipple changes shape as the breasts stretch or flatten out. Take time to study these ever-changing forms. I’d advise drawing the breasts after you’re happy with the shape and position of the ribcage, rather than draw them first.

07. Draw the hands

Take care when drawing the hands, they’re tricky

When drawing hands there are notes to keep in mind, for instance, the forefinger and middle finger take up more than half the width, and the little finger splays outward more. Drawing the little finger and thumb first also makes it easier to plot and place the other fingers.

08. Blend and draw

Make sure you think about your light source

There is enough charcoal on the newsprint paper for me to blend with a paper stump, and I improve the forms as I push the charcoal around. I also dim the torso area by lifting off some tone with tissue. This suggests a central light source that draws our eye.

09. Make use of leftovers

Use excess materials to create further forms

I blot texture down with tissue dipped in charcoal powder. You can buy charcoal powder, but I use the stuff already on the sandpaper pad left over from sharpening my pencils, which saves money and a trip to the art store. I then use a kneadable eraser to pull out highlights.

10. Use your imagination

Use swirls to suggest sorcery

With the figure work mostly behind me I come back to the story of the witch casting spells. I use swirls to suggest sorcery afoot and engage my electric eraser to suggest crackling energy. This also frames the figure and adds contrast, bringing the figure more into focus.

11. Erase into the swirls

Use a rubber to enhance the swirls

Using a large compressed charcoal stick I draw large swirls, twisting the stick as I draw for thick and thin marks, I then use a Faber Castell grip eraser to change the swirls into more interesting shapes. Note how the figure appears brighter now against the outside dark tones.

11. Add the small stuff

Know when to stop your drawing

Putting in the small stuff is always a danger, because we tend to tinker and lose sight of the big picture.

I’m feeling that it’s time to stop before the drawing suffers. Was this drawing better than the step before? Perhaps. The main thing is we explored further and by exploring further we get to feel when it’s time to stop.

Gravity and Compression study sheet

Learning to see the breasts as soft forms compressed against a hard, curved surface will help us draw forms that convey both weight and movement. Lots of life drawing will help further as we have the chance to study how the breasts change shape as the model changes their pose.

This article was originally published in issue 169 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists. Buy issue 169 or subscribe here.

Read more:

The 11 best drawing booksHow to draw a character in pen and inkImprove your line work with these pro drawing tips

Designing a website from scratch can be a very time-consuming experience. And while web designers always welcome shortcuts, maintaining quality is still a top priority.

That’s the beauty of a good CSS framework. It can provide you with a comprehensive set of responsive layouts and UI elements. This helps to get your projects off to a quick start, while still allowing plenty of room for customization.

Today, we’ll introduce you to a selection of the top modern CSS frameworks available. Some you may have heard of, while others may be completely new to you. But each offers a variety of useful, cutting-edge features that can improve your workflow. Let’s get started!

Frameworks Focused on CSS

Let’s start with some frameworks that are mainly focused on CSS. You’ll find all types of layouts and UI elements to form the basis of your project. Some may even include a bit of JavaScript to help with more complex features.

Tailwind CSS

What separates Tailwind from many other frameworks is that it doesn’t come with any prebuilt UI components. Instead, it’s focused more on utility, with CSS classes that give you a head start on building out a site. Elements such as sizing, color and positioning are key here.

Bulma

Built around CSS Flexbox, Bulma is a free and open source framework. Inside you’ll find a number of easy-to-customize UI elements. It’s modular, meaning you can import just the elements you want – like columns or buttons.

Picnic CSS

Picnic CSS has been developed to be super lightweight and comes in under 10KB when compressed. It features Flexbox-based grid layouts, along with plenty of UI elements to get your project off to a quick start. You’ll even find a simple navigation bar and modal windows.

Materialize

Fans of Google’s Material Design will want to check out Materialize. This framework is based on the popular design language and includes a ton of CSS and JavaScript-based elements. There is also a focus on microinteractions to make the UI more user-friendly. It’s also worth noting that Materialize features support for custom themes as well.

Pure.css

Coming in at just 3.8KB when compressed, Pure.css is centered around a mobile-first philosophy. And it’s modular, so you can import just the element packages you want to use. There are also a number of common layouts that you can download and install.

Base

Base is a modular framework that, as its name indicates, aims to provide a solid foundation for your design projects. It’s been built on top of Normalize.css and provides basic styles that are easy to customize. You won’t find anything too fancy here, but that’s the point!

mini.css

With mini.css, you get a package that looks to strike a balance between being lightweight and packed with features. And it really hits the mark, coming in at around 10KB compressed while boasting a fairly large number of UI elements and layouts. There’s also a good bit of documentation, so you can really dive in and see how everything works.

Concise CSS

Urging designers to “give up the bloat”, Concise CSS offers a utility-based framework to get you off to a fast start. Need UI elements? You can add those in via a separate kit.

Mobi.css

Mobi.css is tiny (2.6KB gzipped) and is focused mainly on speed for mobile users. However, there’s room for growth with a built-in theme and plugin system. If the basic styles don’t provide everything you’re looking for, it’s possible to build on top of the framework in a modular way.

Spectre.css

Billed as being “Lightweight, Responsive, Modern”, Spectre.css is a Flexbox-based framework. Included you’ll find some basic layout, UI and typography styles. Plus, there are a number of functional components (accordions, popovers, tabs, etc.) that have been built with pure CSS. Overall there’s a nice balance achieved here.

Frameworks That Go Beyond CSS

There are scenarios that call for a more robust framework – and the selections below will do the job. They not only offer plenty of CSS-based elements, but you’ll also find healthy doses of features like HTML and JavaScript. In some ways, it’s almost like starting out with a semi-complete template that you can customize to fit your needs.

Bootstrap

Created by Twitter, Bootstrap is pretty much everywhere these days. But that’s because it’s well-maintained and offers a massive library of prebuilt features. And while you can roll with the default setup, Bootstrap is also quite extensible. Adding themes or custom components to the mix will help personalize the UI even further.

Foundation

Foundation is library of modular components that add plenty of fit and finish to your projects. There are a wide array of options here – everything from responsive layouts to animation. And that’s not even scratching the surface of what’s available. Foundation also has its own JavaScript plugin API. Last but not least, the framework comes with ARIA attributes and roles for building sites with accessibility in mind.

Semantic UI

Sometimes, frameworks can include CSS class names that make sense only to their original developer. Semantic UI looks to change that narrative by using natural language. The logic is easy to follow and should make for quicker development. Beyond language, you’ll find over 3,000 theming variables – all of which you can edit or remove, depending on need. In all, there are tons of layout and UI possibilities here.

Build It Better with a Framework

Getting your project off the ground takes a lot of work – that’s why frameworks exist. They handle some of that heavy lifting for us and provide the basis for everything that comes after.

The ability to integrate a common set of layouts and UI elements allows us to better focus on content. While more robust frameworks contain all manner of extras like JavaScript and page templates to help us go even further.

Whatever type of head start you’re looking for, it’s likely that one of the selections above will be the perfect fit.

We’re working hard to keep you on the cutting edge of your field with SitePoint Premium. We’ve got plenty of new books to check out in the library — let us introduce you to them.

Professional Git

This book gets you into the Git mindset, explaining the basic Git model and overall workflow, the Git versions of common source management concepts and commands, how to track changes, work with branches, and take advantage of Git’s full functionality, and how to avoid trip-ups and missteps.

Read Professional Git.

WordPress Plugin Development Cookbook

This book presents detailed, step-by-step recipes, explanations and code examples for creating WordPress 4.x plugins. Learn how to extend WordPress, how to use the WordPress plugin API, and how to mold WordPress to your project’s needs.

Read WordPress Plugin Development Cookbook.

Cybersecurity Essentials

A comprehensive introduction to cybersecurity concepts and practices, with expert coverage of essential topics required for entry-level cybersecurity certifications. Learn security and surveillance fundamentals, how to secure and protect remote access, how to identify threats and form an effective defense.

Read Cybersecurity Essentials.

The Profitable Side Project Handbook

Do you dream of being able to earn money while you sleep? Of seeing sales come in while you are out for dinner? Of creating a great product that is sustainable as a real, profitable business? This book will help you to launch your own revenue generating side project.

Read The Profitable Side Project Handbook.

Hands-On DevOps with Vagrant

Use Vagrant to easily build complete development environments. Implement DevOps with Vagrant effectively. Integrate Vagrant with different tools such as Puppet, Chef, and Docker. Manage infrastructure with a practical approach.

Read Hands-On DevOps with Vagrant.

And More to Come…

We’re releasing new content on SitePoint Premium almost every day, so we’ll be back next week with the latest updates. If you’re not a member yet, check out our library for $14.99/month.

The post SitePoint Premium New Releases: Git, Cybersecurity, DevOps + More appeared first on SitePoint.

Over the years, WordPress has revolutionized the web development business. Not too long ago, web developers need to learn about the different programming languages along with HTML in order to build a professional website. With WordPress, you can create stunning websites even if you’ve never touched a line of code in your life. With the […]

The post 94% Off: Get Lifetime Subscription to the WordPress Build & Host Bundle for Only $49.99 appeared first on designrfix.com.

Web design gets broader everyday, with new technologies entering the field on a seemingly weekly basis. As a web designer, you need to stay on top of these technologies, and upgrade your skills, or you’ll become obsolete. But it’s tough to keep up when you’re reading countless Medium posts, and scouring the latest ebook for tips.

That’s where podcasts come in. The (usually) short episodes are like talk radio for the web, and are a great way to keep up to date on new technology and ideas.

Today we’ve collected 15 podcasts that are worth trying, if you’re not already addicted. Download a few, and listen to them on your commute, you’ll arrive at work inspired, more knowledgeable, and ready to go.

1. Responsive Web Design Podcast

The Responsive Web Design Podcast is brought to life by Ethan Marcotte and Karen McGrane. There are currently over 150 episodes, and still counting. Ethan and Karen conduct discussions and interviews centered around responsive design, and well-known sites that have implemented it.

2. ShopTalk Show

The ShopTalk Show is a huge deal, achieving a massive amount of publicity and attention, thanks to the efforts of Dave Rupert and Chris Coyier. Experts from across web design and development are invited on, on a weekly basis, and they’ve amassed over 350 episodes to date.

If you’re into web design, and love staying in touch with the latest web technologies then this is one podcast you’ll definitely want to check out.

3. The Web Ahead

Jen Simmons is the anchorwoman for The Web Ahead, through her resilience and love of tech, she invites renowned experts to speak their views and ideas on various web topics ranging from responsive web design, programming languages, and many other topics.

You’re able to access fresh episodes on weekly basis, which are usually above an hour in duration.

4. The Boagworld UX Show

Paul Boag’s a very successful writer on web design, and he’s been in the industry for years with a number of successful publications under his belt. His accomplice on The Boagworld UX Show is Marcus Lillington, who has an incredible history of successes as well.

This podcast channel runs to almost 500 episodes, all of which can be subscribed to, through your favorite podcast player, or RSS.

5. Alexa Stop

If I was ranking these podcasts starting with my favorites, Alexa Stop would have been right at the top.

Jim Bowes and Robert Belgrave study the impact of technology on our lives, and their podcast episodes explore cutting edge technologies like new developments on the web, and computational innovations.

6. JavaScript Jabber

The podcast here, as the name suggests, is mostly about JavaScript. JavaScript Jabber connects you with a wealth of experience in front-end web development. Plus it’s accessible enough for those who are just entering the field.

7. Drafts

Giovanni DiFeterici and Gene Crawford cover everything web design and development on Drafts, bringing this channel to life.

Each podcast encompasses a time frame of 15 minutes, which is shorter than most, but each one is packed with ideas to keep you inspired and engaged.

8. TheBuildUp

Bobby Solomon and Jon Setzen are the big hit on TheBuildUp, they are the experts themselves, so they engage in short conversations within fields that best suits the tech industry, with emphasis to the web technology among other fields. A single episode is released on a biweekly basis.

9. The Big Web Show

Jeffrey Zeldman really has it big for web techies. The episodes cover topics relating to web publishing, design, and typography among many other topics. The Big Web Show is a web show that you really can’t afford to miss out on.

10. CTRL+CLICK CAST

Ctrl+Click’s former name was ExpressionEngine which was brought alive by its hosts Lea Alcantara and Emily Lewis. As their slogan was “your human web inspectors” their approach to podcasting was to guide, teach, and motivate web designers.

11. The Gently Mad

Adam Clark with his guest on The Gently Mad podcast comes to their audience’s rescue by highlighting stories, facts, databases, deep insights and real-time experiences of individuals doing great in their respective fields.

12. 99% invisible

99% Invisible episodes are consistently brilliant, despite the fact that each of the episodes usually run to a duration of between 15 to 20 mins. An amazingly addictive series of podcasts.

13. Data Stories

Data visualisations are the primary topic on Data Stories, a podcast hosted by outstanding personalities Enrico Bertini and Mortiz Stefaner). Their topics are mainly academic but oftentimes, they follow their audiences responses into more divergent and less well-trodden paths.

If you are passionate about web and related topics like software development, infographics and data analysis, then Data Stories will help you stay up to date.

14. Design Matters

Debbie Millman has been rowing her boat in the podcast industry since 2005. She loves touching on anything design, right from architectural designs, web design, product design, etc.

This is why the experts she meets for discussion on Design Matters are always designers with high sense of technical craftsmanship.

15. The Digital Life

Jon Follett and Dirk Knemeyer are the podcast hosts here, they speak about everything digital but primarily digital technology. Their episodes were among the most trending. If you really want to go beyond web design, the Digital Life is your bet.

Makers Company is a design studio from South Africa that created this awesome set of 12 line icons for some of the world’s most famous landmarks. Each icon is very simple but right on point, it’s beauty within the lines. Check it out!

For more from Makers Company visit themakers.company.

We love traveling and created this collection featuring twelve of the world’s most famous landmarks, simplified to showcase each of these wonders unique character.